Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Topics: Health, Periods, Women's Health, UK News
Mia Williams
Topics: Health, Periods, Women's Health, UK News
There is an unusual side effect you may experience when starting the contraceptive pill - but why does it happen?
There's nothing quite like tearing open a new box of the contraceptive pill to find the novel of side effects that come floating out in all their glory.
I mean, at this point, it might handier noting down what might not potentially happen as a result of taking the pill.
Despite this, women have grown to realise that each individual experience on different contraceptive pills is just that - individual.
Advert
One person could go unaffected for years upon years (lucky you), others suffer, and some simply just can't bear the changes.
The contraceptive pill is the most common form of birth control, and is taken by 3.1 million women in the UK every year.
And if taken correctly, it's proven to prevent pregnancy 99% of the time.
It works to prevent unwanted pregnancy in three ways - preventing ovulation, producing more mucus, and thinning the lining of the uterus.
What causes the side effects more often than not is the hormones that come with the pill.
It usually contains oestrogen and progestin, or just one depending on what medication your doctor has chosen.
When these hormone levels increase, women can experience symptoms such as mood changes, nausea, headaches, weight gain, breast tenderness, anxiety - and as we know, a lot more.
But one of the most unusual side effects is a change in the size of your boobs.
Perhaps for some this is brilliant news, but for others, it's more of an inconvenience.
But why does it happen?
The increase in synthetic hormones generates a lot of change in your body, which leads to an increase in breast size or weight gain some of the time.
However, it's important to note that these changes are only temporary.
After around three-six months of being on the pill, experts say that side effects should calm down.
So, if you were getting used to rocking slightly bigger boobs, your days are supposedly limited.
There are far more rare and serious side effects of the pill that are made known to you when you start taking it.
However, doctors will always check a person's family medical history to avoid any risks.
Some of the far rarer side effects include high blood pressure, blood clots, heart attacks and strokes.
Just another day being a woman, eh!